A Fond Farewell
by Darth Hawk 32
Summary: Wynne and Shale, visiting Val Royeaux to investigate a cure for Shale's condition, happen upon a farewell between old friends. Other short one shots to follow.
1. A Fond Farewell

Wynne was not sure why she thought of Aedan. It had been many years since he had disappeared, according to Leliana he had gone searching for Morrigan one last time, but after he left he was never heard from again.

She had always known that his involvement with that witch was a mistake. There was a moment where she thought that perhaps Aedan's influence on Morrigan was having an effect for the better. But the young woman had panicked and fallen back on her mother's teachings in the end, abandoning the poor boy and breaking his heart at the same time.

It had been heart wrenching to see him still hold on to hope that he would eventually find her, even if she did not want to be found. Wynne never knew what would have been better, the false hope, or to accept reality and the heartbreak that would come with it.

They had both been happy together, even though Morrigan would not admit it, and so a part of Wynne had always hoped they would eventually find each other. And while she feared the worst, she had a small hope that Aedan's disappearance meant he had found her.

She took a sip from her tea and sighed. The café in Val Royeaux was quite lovely, with a view of the market district.

"The elderly mage is pensive," Shale's voice rumbled.

"Just thinking of old times," Wynne said. She and Shale had come to Val Royeaux to peruse the circle library, one of the best in Thedas, for any hints for a solution to Shale's condition. So far they had little luck.

"No wonder you were quiet for so long," Shale said. "For you there must be a lot of old times."

"I thought we had agreed to work on the cattiness, Shale," Wynne said.

Shale was silent for a moment. "Sorry," she finally said.

Wynne picked up her tea again. She contented herself to watch the crowd. Her eyes fell on a young couple with what she assumed was their son. The child looked to be about six or seven years old. She could not see the woman's face, she was wearing an odd rendition of the current fashion, identical in appearance but with muted colors, a very dark green and a red the color of dried blood. The man was wearing a set of traveling clothes, with light leather armor and a large travel pack. At his hip he carried a longsword.

Something about them seemed familiar. And then, as the child jumped into his father's arms, obviously crying even over the sounds of the crowd, the crowd dissipated and the mother turned just enough so that Wynne could see her face.

"It's the Swamp Witch," Shale said.

Wynne almost dropped her cup of tea as the father turned, holding his crying son, so that Wynne could see his face. There, standing so close to her and Shale, but unaware of their presence, was Aedan Cousland, who many thought had disappeared years ago.

The small family's course was carrying them past the café where Wynne sat. Their attention was on the little boy, so they did not notice their friends.

"Do you really have to go, papa?" Wynne could hear the boy say.

Aedan's tone was soothing. "I won't be gone long, pup," he said. "I need to take care of some business, then once I am back I promise I will never leave again."

The boy sniffled. "Promise promise?"

"I promise promise promise," Aedan said, holding his little boy close.

"Come, Kieran," Morrigan said. "Say goodbye, your father needs to leave."

"G'bye," Kieran, a good name Wynne thought, muttered into Aedan's traveling cloak, where he had buried his face. Aedan passed the crying child to Morrigan, who soothingly rubbed his back.

"I'll be back before you realize I was gone," Aedan said, and turned to leave.

Wynne considered making her presence known, hidden as she was by a pillar. But she reconsidered. This was a private moment between the small family. She knew that this was probably the last time she would see Aedan Cousland again, but despite the tearful farewell, she had never seen him as happy as he was now.

So he had found Morrigan after all, and from what she could see they were happy together. To her surprise Wynne found she didn't need to know anything more than that.


	2. The Vow

The Vow

**Author's Note: This is something I originally posted on tumblr, it wasn't much, just a quick writing exercise. But I figured I might as well put it where someone would actually read it. So while Beautiful Madness is for mostly disconnected chapters that share the same setting and a somewhat sense of forward plot progression, A Fond Farewell is going to be the story where I put my completely disconnected scenes together. We're talking short, less than 2,000 words on average. One Shots that are too short to have their own story, because I'm not about to pad my archive with a bunch of random shorts. These shorts will share the same universe as Beautiful Madness. Which is basically just my Aedan Cousland canon, my main playthrough. I don't have any intentions of updating this one on any regular basis. It's just as ideas come to me and if I can't fit them anywhere else. I might even accept prompts… Actually yeah, let's open up prompts for this story only. Since I'm doing whatever I want in it anyway. I may even dump scenes that get cut from Beautiful Madness or any other story I set in this canon.**

"Say, Morrigan," Aedan said as he joined Morrigan by her fire.

"Yes?" Morrigan looked up from the grimoire Aedan had managed to retrieve from the Circle Tower. She focused on his expression, he seemed…upset, though about what she could not tell. She thought back, had she done anything to anger him? Surprisingly she found that this concerned her. She was facing a most bothersome conversation if that was the case. Though, she could not think of anything that had occurred during the trip that would upset him so. Morrigan had actually been behaving herself for the most part, so she could not think why he would be angry now when he had never been before .

"Back when we were in the fade," Aedan said. "When the spirit pretending to be your mother struck you. The way you spoke, 'Now that's more like it,' you said? It sounded like that had happened before. When you were younger, did Flemeth hit you?"

Was this the reason for his anger? Morrigan did not answer, she could not discern why simple discipline would upset him so. Finally she shrugged. "She disciplined me, yes. I was a stubborn child, twas the only way I would listen to her sometimes."

"How young were you?" Aedan asked. "When she hit you the first time?"

Morrigan sighed, this conversation was far more troublesome than the one she had expected. "I believe it was after I returned with the mirror. After smashing it, Flemeth ensured I had learned my lesson."

"Did it…hurt?" Now there was dread in his voice. His reactions were confusing, it was beginning to vex her.

"Of course it hurt! What is the point of punishment if it doesn't hurt?"

"But…"

The way he was looking at her, she thought she saw pity, but it was quickly masked before she thought to berate him for such foolishness.

"Enough!" She said. "Flemeth was a harsh taskmaster, but she taught me well. That knowledge is worth some bruises."

"Bruises?"

"Just…leave me be," Morrigan picked the book up again. "I do not wish to discuss this anymore."

She had the dream again that night. Flemeth, a giant in her memories, grabbing her wrist, wrenching her up from the ground where she cried over the broken mirror. Slapping her across the face. Dropping her. Her hands landing on the glass. Crying out as the shards cut open her small hands. Flemeth scoffing in disgust. Telling her to stop mewling and to clean up the mess.

Morrigan woke in a cold sweat. She shook off the sense of dread she never would have tolerated during waking hours. "Foolishness," she scoffed, and rolled over to seek the sleep that remained elusive the rest of the night.

It was not until later, after Aedan returned from slaying Flemeth, that Morrigan understood. As Alistair told their other companions of the battle, he spoke of how Aedan had not even bothered to talk to Flemeth, instead attacking her on sight and fighting like a man possessed even after the old abomination had revealed her dragon form.

Morrigan found him, standing among the trees some distance from the camp, looking out over a small lake. She made no sound as she approached, and he did not react as she stood next to him.

"I hear you did not give Flemeth a chance to speak," Morrigan said.

Aedan grunted as a way of answering the probing statement.

"Twas most wise," Morrigan continued. "She would undoubtedly have tried to confuse you, find some way to slink away without confrontation. It would have most likely spelled your doom."

Aedan did not respond. They stood there, together, watching the moonlight dance upon the water.

"Though," Morrigan said after a while. "I have to wonder. Why? Tis unlike you to charge into battle so thoughtlessly."

He turned to face her, grim determination in his eyes. "She had to die, Morrigan," he said. "She just…" He struggled to speak, turning away from her to look over the water again. Morrigan frowned, realization taking form I her mind. She did not like what was revealing itself to her.

Aedan turned back to face Morrigan, his eyes intense. "I promise you," he said. "I will never let anyone hurt you again."

"Is this because of the time I told you how she used to punish me? There is no need to be upset over that, twas a long time ago and I have turned out the better for it."

She could see that he did not believe her.

"Is that what you truly think of me?" She was getting angry. "Am I some broken object for you to fix? Some poor, lost little girl in need of a strong man to soothe the pain of her traumatic childhood? If that is what you think, then I see no more need in continuing our entanglement. You have obviously let foolish notions of chivalry cloud your mind."

He shook his head. He placed a hand on her shoulder, she glared at it and then up at him.

"You are a strong, beautiful, amazing woman Morrigan. But Flemeth hurt you. She had to pay for that. I did it gladly. Despite everything, you are who you want to be, and I wouldn't change one part of you. I don't think you need protecting, you are more than capable of that. But I will still be there when you need me. I swear it."

"That," Morrigan shook her head, turning away from him, hoping he could not hear her racing heart. "Is a serious vow. Let us hope it is not tested beyond the breaking point."

He leaned forward, his hand sliding from her shoulder to behind her head, guiding her face to meet his. When he kissed her it was with all the fervor of the feelings he would never admit to her. The intensity both scared and excited her. She was dealing with something dangerous and beautiful; precious and most volatile. As their lips parted and they looked into each others' eyes, she could only hope his vow was strong enough to weather what was to come.


End file.
